March is generally a quieter month for Tariff activity, prior to the start of April.
1st April is the start of the new financial quarter and there will be Category M price changes. This can be seen a few weeks in advance via this link:
If you or someone in your team has time, check out the prices from this link and see if you can spot any changes that might have an impact on your profitability.
Alternatively, subscribe to Dispensing Doctor Experts and receive key information when its available, helping you to concentrate on what matters – your patients.
Current Issues for March 2021:
For Basic Prices of Drugs – For those who have an interest in how the DT works, check the changes made to the working in Paragraph 2.1 of Section 8A with respect to how Category A Generic prices are calculated.
Additions:
| Description | Pack Size | Price | Category | Ref Product |
| Baclofen 10mg/5ml Oral Soln SF | 150ml | 1072 | C | Thame Labs |
| Bimatoprost 300mcg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drop Pres Free | 3ml | 1416 | C | Eyzeetan (Same price as Ganfort but Preservative Free) |
| Budesonide 100mg/ Formoterol 3mcg / dose Inh CFC Free | 120 dose | 1400 | C | Symbicort (New strength with lower LAMA) |
| Buprenorphine Oral Lyophilisates SF 2mg and 8mg | 28 | 2540 7620 | C | Espranor (New larger pack sizes – 7 packs deleted from DT) |
| Nortriptyline Caps 10mg and 25mg | 100 | 825 1000 | C | Kent Pharmaceuticals (More expensive than Tablets!) |
| Sodium Cromoglycate 2% Eye Drops Preservative Free | 10ml | 380 | C | Librachrom (Hopefully a readily available option for the forthcoming Hayfever season!) |
Generic descriptions have also been added for Strepsils Honey & Lemon and Triple Action!
And for Atectura Breezhaler = Indacterol & Mometasone inhalers
Deletions:
Some once popular items have now been discontinued on the market and also deleted from DT:
Ampicillin 250mg/5ml Oral Susp
Bromocriptine 5mg and 10mg Capsules (Parlodel)
Methylcellulose 500mg Tablets (Celevac)
Testosterone 40mg Capsules (Restandol)
- NB: use any remaining stock if you have any but check expiry dates and endorse pack size and price when used.
Plus some Appliances from Part 9:
Omnican Fine Needles
Blenderm Tape
- Neither of these can be used at all on prescription from 1st March
Other Changes:
Main points here:
Isosorbide Mononitrate 60mg MR Tablets 28 1050 Cat C Based again on Imdur
- Area of potential profitability since other branded generics can be bought at lower prices eg Monomil @ £3.99; wholesaler generic @ £1.99
Ivabradine 5mg and 7.5mg Tablets 56 (4 x 14 Sub pack of a Special Container) – added detail
If you do not understand these issues or need further explanation, then make sure you get in contact with Dispensing Doctor Experts.
Advance Notice for April 2021:
As stated above, usually a busier month focusing on Category M Generic Prices.
Additions:
Numerous lower turnover products once again have been listed for next month, including:
Alverine 60mg/ Simeticone 300mg Capsules 90 Cat C SimAlvia
Ibuprofen 100mg Chewable Caspules 12 Cat C Nurofen for Children !!!
Malathion 0.5% Aqueous Liquid 150ml Cat C Derbac M*
*New Pack Size – Old ones have been deleted
Oxycodone Tabs (Std release) 5mg, 10mg, 20mg 56 Cat C Oxyact
- Beware here of erroneous prescribing when SR formulations are required, or in fact capsules have been previously given
- Needs new pages in your CD Register – Or is it time to go Electronic??
Deletions:
Generic descriptions of a number of discontinued products such as:
DDAVP nasal solution; DF118 Forte; Gyno-Pevaryl Cream & Pessaries; Cutivate Cream & Ointment
Other Changes:
Only major thing of note:
Clobazam 5mg/5ml and 10mg/5ml SF Oral Susp 150ml Moving from Cat C to Cat A
- Hopefully no dispensary has stock of this item, but it is likely to change the pricing considerably in due course
